Avenged Sevenfold Fire Mike Portnoy

12/17/2010.

(Rock AAA) Mike Portnoy has left Avenged Sevenfold at the band's request, he's revealed. The drummer has been standing in with the band since Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan died last Christmas, appearing on current album Nightmare and touring with them since the middle of the year.

Portnoy left Dream Theater in September, shocking fans and ex-bandmates alike since he'd founded the band 25 years previously. One of the reasons he gave was that he'd enjoyed his tenure with A7X more than he'd been enjoying working with his own outfit.

Now he says: "Sadly my time with Avenged Sevenfold has come to an end. The band has decided to carry on into 2011 without me."